Texas senators again at center of shutdown fight

The coming battle over whether to shut down the federal government is all set to be dominated by Texas' two senators in Washington, D.C.

In familiar roles for U.S. Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, they for weeks have been making their case in various interviews why their path is the right one for Republicans who are facing the potential of a second shutdown in nearly as many years.

Cornyn, the state's senior senator, was in Harlingen, in the Rio Grande Valley, on Monday to talk about veterans' issues with local officials and Gov. Greg Abbott, but the prospect of a government shutdown in the next few weeks was present.

"We were elected to govern, and we're going to do that. That's not to say it's easy," Cornyn said, according to the Texas Tribune. "There have been a lot of disagreements, particularly when it comes to spending, but we're going to work our way through that."

Foe within own ranks

It was a shot across the bow to Ted Cruz, the junior senator, who has become no stranger to organizing a shutdown in his three years in Washington. The last time lawmakers forced the government to close, in 2013 after a funding dispute over Obamacare, Cruz was adamant about pinning the consequences, the furloughed employees and closed government buildings, on President Barack Obama and Democrats. He railed against the president's health care law for 21 hours in a quasi-filibuster that arguably solidified his position as the Republican leadership's most formidable foe within their own ranks and set the stage for his White House run.

This time, Cruz has set his sights on defunding Planned Parenthood, which has tried over the summer to punch back at opponents after an anti-abortion group released a string of secretly recorded videos showing Planned Parenthood officials talking about the harvesting of fetal tissue. For his part, Cruz, emboldened now by his 2016 race, has given no indication that he won't set another shutdown into motion if Republicans take what he calls a meaningless vote to mollify the party's right-wing activists, also known as diehard Cruz supporters.

"The leadership of both parties, both the Democrats and Republicans, want an empty show vote," Cruz told the Huffington Post last month. "They want a vote on Planned Parenthood that has no teeth or no consequence, which allows Republicans to vote for defunding, Democrats to vote for continuing funding, and nothing to change."

'Bring it on, Ted!'

It has become a rallying cry for Democrats. Over the weekend, they heard U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., warning Cruz, almost taunting him into trying to precipitate a shutdown.

"We will not let Ted Cruz shut down this government over Planned Parenthood. He wants a fight over Planned Parenthood? My answer is, 'Bring it on, Ted!' " Warren said Sunday during a Texas Democratic Party rally in Austin, the Tribune reported.

Cruz already is pushing the line that, should another shutdown occur this autumn, responsibility will fall on the president for not relenting on Planned Parenthood funding. If it were to happen, he undoubtedly would take that argument to Iowa and New Hampshire voters just in time for the new year and the 2016 caucuses in their states.

Bobby Cervantes is an Austin-based reporter for the Houston Chronicle, where he writes about the politics, policies and personalities of Texas government. He also authors Texas Take, the state’s must-read daily tipsheet covering the latest news from the campaign trail to the Capitol.

Prior to joining the Chronicle, he covered the 2012 presidential election and technology for Politico in Washington, D.C. He has also reported for NBC News, The Texas Tribune, the San Antonio Express-News, the Amarillo Globe-News and The Daily Texan.

A native of the Rio Grande Valley, Bobby graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with degrees in government, journalism and business. He once won the coveted award for most improved swimmer at Boy Scout summer camp. Follow him on Twitter @BobbyCervantes.